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My Christmas Basketball Wishes to all involved with Maine basketball!

Since today is Christmas it is the appropriate time for me to post my Christmas wish lists for those involved with Maine basketball at all levels.

Coaches: No fouling out players, two shots and ball on the fifth foul and plus fouls, good officiating, more 3-pointers made than missed 3’s, no injuries, coachable players, a player-spaced offense to get more open 3’s by getting the ball inside more and forcing double teams to get wide-open 3’s or open layups, reduced turnovers and personal fouls as the season progresses.

Players: No fouling out as mentioned for coaches, making more 3’s than by missing and “dying” by the 3, legs that don’t get tired so your shooting stays as sharp as it did early in the game so the rim doesn’t seem to get smaller and the ball doesn’t get seem to get bigger, and coaches who are fair.

Officials: High school games required to have three officials as in all postseason games, less vocal fans. Coaches, fans and players learn the rules, players say thank you to officials when official hands them the ball for a throw in and bounce the ball to them on a foul shot, when players pick up a dead ball run over and hand it to the ref don’t throw it to them, hope teams play better so they can ref better, and they make the tournament pool,

ADs: Good weather and no postponements for the rest of the season, no administration problems, no player breaks a rim or backboard on a dunk, good crowds to help the budget.

Fans: Their team makes the tournament and wins a tourney game, more online streaming of their teams away games and higher-scoring games in regular season.

Parents: Have their basketball player get satisfactory playing time so they can follow the four cardinal rules parents should take to heart — not complaining to any school personnel about playing time, squad selections, team strategy and other players.

Maine Principals’ Association: Enough courage and support to change current transfer rule back to the original transfer rule and to go back to four classes.

Retiring Basketball Commissioner: No in-season or tourney problems officiating-wise, fewer technical fouls for dunks and flopping because players know the rules and don’t break them, talk national rules committee to change the name of a player-control-foul to player-out-of-control foul, and no-foul-out rule mentioned for coaches and players.

On my own basketball Christmas wish list for the rest of the season:

The UMaine men’s team improves and finishes 8-8 in America East Conference regular-season play and wins a tournament game by improving its 3-point shooting percentage (now 27.9 percent) and improving its man-to-man.

The UMaine women’s team wins both the America East Conference’s regular season and tournament to qualify for the NCAA’s big dance and wins a game in March Madness for the second time in program history; reduces its use of the 3 as it is taking 47.2 percent of its field-goal attempts from the arc and is only shooting 31.1 percent on 3’s.

Both teams get to the foul line more by going inside more and taking the ball to the hoop more. Find a well-spaced floor setup formation to make it easier to go inside, inside-out and dribble penetration to get open 3’s and get to the foul line more and improve to 75 percent from their current both at 65%.

Both Husson basketball coaches, Warren Caurso and Kissy Walker, win their NAC regular-season championships and postseason tournaments to get to DIII national tournament and win a couple of games there.